Support for centrifugals



April 1930. c. SCHAUM 1,753,722

SUPPORT FOR CENTRIFUGALS Filed Oct. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l jmnt:

' Car] Jchd attain-e11 A ril 8, 1930. c. scHAuM SUPPORT FOR CENTRIFUGALS Filed Oct. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmwntox 18 Carl sfchaum, flttozw Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL SOHAUK, OF WYNCOE E, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSI GNOR TO FLETCHER WORKS, OF PHIIIADRLPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA SUPPORT FOR CENTRIFUGALS Application filed October 5, 1927. Serial No. 224,161.

My inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in supports for hydro extractors,

centrifuges and centrifugals and has for anobject to provide a support that will allow the centrifugal or extractor to oscillate or shift its position and at the same time tend to cause the machine to return to its normal vertical axis.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a support in the form of three legs provided with feet thereon, that will tend to absorb the shock and vibrations caused by the highly rotating machine.

As is well-known to those skilled in the art, centrifuges, centrifugals and hydro extractors comprise generally a tank or shell in which there is secured a basket provided with a central shaft which in turn is revolved at a high rate of speed by a motor, and these baskets not only rotate at a high speed but are often so balanced that the basket may oscillate within the shell and, as the weight of the goods or material within the shell is often unequally distributed within the basket, there are bound to be oscillations until a certain peripheral speed is reached, as well as rotation and due to the high centrifugal speed, there is apt to be considerable vibration of the extractor.

Another object in the present invention therefore is to provide a support which will take up the vibrations due to the oscillations.

and uneven balanced load in the basket, so that these vibrations will not be transferred to the floor on which these centrifugals are operated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a support for a centrifugal or hydro extractor wherein there areprovided three legs or su ports on which there are feet, the lower sur ace of which is struck from an are above the point of the support of the centrifugal so that the shell and basket may tilt or oscillate beyond their normal vertical axis and at the same time be so arranged that as the basket and shell move from their normal vertical axis there will be a slight raising of the shell and basket, thus causing the force of gravity to overcome the shifting and centrifugal force.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, J

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing. the hydro extractor and the manner of supporting the same,

Fig. 2 is a top plan View showing the distribution of the feet supporting the centrifu- Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailview showing how the arc of the feet is struck from the centre above the supporting point of the centrifugal, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a slightly modified form.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a vertical motor driven hydro extractor which comprises the drum 1, having a plurality of lugs 2, which are disposed about the periphery of the drum and these may be integral or riveted or bolted in place as desired.

It will be noticed that these lugs are slightly below the upper rim 3 of the drum. Within the drum is positioned a basket 4 from which extends a vertical shaft 5 which extends thru the bearing 6 which in turn is supported by a cover 7 and there is also mounted on this cover a large motor 8 for driving the shaft 5 and the basket 4.

It will be understood that the basket, drum and motor form no part of the present invention with the exception however of the lugs 2 which are secured to the drum in which, in turn, are the hearings on the legs or supports which latter form the gist of the present invention.

It might be mentioned here, that these extractors are often made up to 48 in diameter, and that the basket will turn at a rate of 7 00 R. P. M. with a foot velocity of nearly 8000 feet per minute, and 334 lbs. per lb. of centrifugal force As these machines may weigh nearly 5000 lbs. it will be appreciated that a turning of the basket at the rate of speed mentioned exerts a terrific force, and, even though the weight be evenly distributed within the hasket, still the centrifugal force of the basket will cause the drum to shift and oscillate and vibrate, so that special means have to be pro vided to in some way compensate for these forces.

In many instances, means are provided whereby the drum is hung from flexible supports, so that the drum may slightly shift about its periphery to thus take up the varying loads and prevent undue oscillations and pounding.

The present invention, however, comprises the provision of three legs distributed about the drum, these legs at their upper ends fitting within the lugs, heretofore mentioned, and these legs being provided with feet, the lower surfaces of which are struck on an are taken above the upper point of the leg or a point above where these legs fit within the aforementioned lugs.

\ Referring more specifically to the legs and feet and their manner of supporting the drum, it will be seen that I provide three legs 9 and as they are all the same, a description of one is a description of all.

Each leg is formed of a steel rod and preferably has its lower end 10 tapered and provided with a plurality of rings 11 which may be filled with lead or other fusible metal so that when the end is inserted in the foot 12 and heated, there will be no possibility of the leg becoming disengaged from the foot, or the foot may be cast about the end of the leg.

In like manner, the upper end 13 may be tapered and rigidly secured in a ball 14, which ball in turn fits within the socket 15 formed in the lug 2 and the other portion 16 of the socket may then be bolted into place by the bolts 17. This form of upper connection allows auniversal movement of the drum with relation to the leg 9.

Referring now to the foot 12, this may be formed of iron or steel andis slightly convex as at 18 on its lower surface. The are of this surface is struck from a point 19 which will be noticed is substantially above the ball and socket connection.

In dotted lines I have shown how the leg 9 may swing outwardly. Of course, the point of support, that is, of the ball and socket, would ordinarily be slightly lowered as the angle of inclination increases but, on the other hand, to overcome this and to actually cause the point of support to rise, I construct the foot of sufficient diameter and have a wide enough are so that as the leg 9 moves to the dotted line position in Fig. 3 the foot 12 will raise on its one edge a slight distance, enough to compensate for the increased angle of inclination, and even cause the point of support to be slightly higher than when the leg is in its normal position. This is readily understood from looking at the dotted line position of the leg and foot.

In this manner when the drum shifts to the left, we will say, in so shifting, the weight of the extractor has to be slightly lifted and of course this tends to overcome the shifting of the drum; in other words the force of gravity is utilized to overcome the shifting due to the centrifugal force of the basket.

Also by striking the arc of the lower surface-of the foot from the point above the point of support, say at 19, the drum and basket may shift a considerable distance from its normal vertical axis and at the same time will operate in this position or right itself without any possibility of the drum and basket overturning. This would not be possible. if the arc were simply struck from the point of support, and not above the same.

It will be understood that the foot does not necessarily have to be circular in cross-section, but might be rectangular or oblong and perform the same function.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a base 20 which is in the form of a plate with a recess 21 therein that may be bolted or anchored into the concrete floor 22. This forms an admirable support for the foot and when a construction of this kind is used together with the other parts described, there is but little vibration or pounding on the floors from the use of these centrifugals.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a slightly modified form. There is fragmentarily shown a drum 23 with an integral lug 24; although in this form a riveted or bolted lug may also be used. On the under surface of this lug is formed a socket 25, there also being a conical opening 26 connectedtherewith so that a leg 27 may be provided with a ball 28 thereon to freely fit within the socket 2.5, while the upper end of this leg 27 may be threaded as at 29 so that a nut might be placed thereon, or this leg might be extended upwardly and any other desired connection secured thereto.

A similar heavy foot 30 is provided and in this instance I have shown a small pan or plate 31 imbedded within the concrete floor 32 to form a support forthis foot.

This modified form is slightly cheaper in construction but the same principle is involved as in the other form.

The lower surface 33 of this foot is slightly convex and the arc of this surface is struck from the point 3Q so that in like manner this drum may shift from its vertical axis and may oscillate without any chance of tipping over and also will return to its normal position.

In actual practice I have found that there is but littlevibration when this form of support is used with either a small or large centrifugal and may shift to a considerable extent without becoming unbalanccd, in fact, it can, when not running, be pushed by hand over to apoint where the drum will nearly contact with the legs and immediately on release will right itself.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a support for a centrifugal or other similar machine wherein provisionis made to take up the vibrations and wherein the machine is allowed to oscillate or shift due to the centrifugal action of the basket, but, due to the legs and feet, their construction, and the arc of their surface, and the force of gravity, the shifting caused by centrifugal action will be overcome and the hasket may be revolved at the high rate of speed desired without any danger of unbalancing of the machine. 4

Many slight changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the same. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A support for a centrifugal comprising a plurality of normally vertically positioned legs, each of said legs provided with a foot, the lower surface of each foot being struck on an arc, the centre of which is above the top of the leg and the top of the legs adapted to fit within projections extending from the sides of the centrifugal.

2. A flexible support for a centrifugal comprising a plurality of legs, adapted to be distributed about the centrifugal, each of said legs provided with a foot, the lower surface of which is struck on an are from a point above the top of the leg, a ball on the top of each leg, and adapted to fit within a socket extending from the centrifugal.

3. A flexible support for a. centrifugal comprising three legs adapted to be distributed about the centrifugal, each of the le 5 provided with a foot, the lower surface 0 which is struck on an are from a centre'above the top of the leg, a ball on the top of each leg and adapted to fit within a socket extending from the centrifugal, the length of the foot and curvature of its lower surface being such, that a shifting of the centrifugal will cause the same to lengthen the distance between the surface on which the foot rests and the point of support of the centrifugal.

4. A support for a centrifugal comprising three legs adapted to be distributed about the centrifugal and the upper end of the legs adapted to fit within sockets distributed about the outer periphery of the centrifu al feet on said legs and the curvature of t e bottom surface of each foot being struck on an are from a centre above the point of support, and the length of the foot being such that a shifting of the centrifugal causes a slight elevation of the same whereby the weight of the centrifugal will cause the same to assume its normal position.

5. A support for a centrifugal comprising a foot on its lower end and each of said feet having their under-surface struck on an are from a centre taken above the upper end of the foot.

6. In combination with a centrifugal having a drum and lugs provided with sockets extendin from the drum, each of which has a ball on its-upper end ting within its respective socket, a relatively lar e foot on each of said legs, and the undersurface of the foot being struck on an are from a point above the point of sup ort of the legs, the length of thefoot being suc that when the centrifugal and legs shift, the drum of the centrifugal will be forced to rise and again tend to self-centre itself.

7. A self-centering support for a centrifugal comprising three normally vertically positioned legs distributed about the centrifugal, the top of the legs secured to the sides of the centrifugal and at points above the center thereof, each of said legs being provided with a foot of relatively large diameter, the lower surface of the foot struck on an are from a together with legs,

point above the top of the leg whereby the CARL SCHAUM. 

